The Biotech Startups Podcast

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"My mind is analytical – so I wondered ‘what is the most exciting, impactful thing I could do?’ I felt we’re all growing older, so where is the technology of aging? How well do we understand the biochemistry of us as humans?"
In this episode, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, shares his bold leap from pioneering virtual reality to tackling the complexities of human aging and biotech innovation. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about biology and the mysteries of longevity, Michael reveals how his software background inspired him to "debug" biology, build better research tools, and launch Formic Ventures to back high-risk, high-reward startups.
He discusses his vision for integrating computational and biological approaches, the promise of cellular reprogramming, and his mission to create a new ecosystem that empowers researchers and accelerates breakthroughs in extending human healthspan.
Key topics covered:

• From Oculus to Biotech: Michael Antonov’s leap from VR pioneer to longevity-focused founder
• Debugging Biology: Using software logic to unravel aging’s complexity
• Investment Philosophy: Formic Ventures’ bold bets on transformative biotech
• Cellular Reprogramming: Rejuvenating cells to fight aging at its core
• Building Deep Origin: Unifying platforms to supercharge drug discovery and research

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Cellular Reprogramming: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167779922000257Longevity.Technology: https://www.longevity.technology/PyTorch: https://pytorch.org/Carmel Browser and React VR: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today/?locale=pt_PTThe Michael Antonov Foundation: https://antonovfoundation.org/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxFormic Ventures: https://formic.vc/TileDB: https://tiledb.com/HKUST: https://hkust.edu.hk/
Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:22 Joining Facebook and Acquisition Experience05:01 Resource Abundance and Internal Politics06:41 Working at Facebook and Priorities09:41 Early Fascination with Biology of Aging15:17 Studying Biology at Berkeley Extension17:39 Starting Biotech Investing21:57 Learning the Ins and Outs of Investing25:19 Challenges in Biotech Investing26:24 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"We were a small team, just a handful of people, trying to solve problems that had stumped the industry for decades. Every day felt like we were building the future from scratch."
In this episode, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, Michael Antonov, shares the inside story of how he and a small, driven team transformed virtual reality from a niche dream into a billion-dollar industry. 
From his early days at Scaleform to the rapid growth of Oculus, Michael recounts overcoming daunting technical and business challenges, the thrill of their record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, and the relentless innovation that led to Oculus’s $2 billion acquisition by Facebook. Listeners get a rare look at the mindset and decision-making behind one of tech’s most remarkable startup journeys, packed with lessons for entrepreneurs everywhere.
Key topics covered:

• The early days at Scaleform and the transition to founding Oculus: Game tools to VR visionaries
• Overcoming technical hurdles in VR hardware and software development: Solving tough VR challenges
• Launching and scaling through the Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign: Crowdfunding breakthrough
• Navigating rapid company growth and organizational challenges: Fast growth, big changes
• The acquisition process with Facebook and the future of virtual reality: $2B deal, new horizons

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The History of the Future by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34017056-the-history-of-the-futureConsole Wars by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18505802-console-warsAcquired Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/episode-35-oculusVoices of VR Podcast: https://voicesofvr.com/745-the-history-of-the-future-book-on-oculus-role-in-the-modern-resurgence-of-vr/Oculus Rift Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1523379957/oculus-rift-step-into-the-game
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxValve: https://www.valvesoftware.com/
Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/John Carmack: https://x.com/id_aa_carmack?lang=enPalmer Luckey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palmer-luckey-21a16959/Nate Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemitchell/Gabe Newell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-newell-0721752bb/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:08 Moving to Orange County & Joining Autodesk04:23 The Oculus Origin Story: Meeting Palmer Luckey11:46 Early Prototypes and the Power of Kickstarter16:31 Fulfilling Orders and Building the Team20:06 Funding Realities and Internal Seed Round23:08 Technical Breakthroughs: Tracking and Blurriness28:33 Collaboration and Competition with Valve29:43 Deciding to Build vs. Buy VR Tech32:10 Raising Capital & Facebook’s Interest34:01 First Acquisition Offer from Facebook35:15 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
“There was this moment when I was 13 where a family friend brought a computer and I really liked games. It was just so fascinating. And then I could learn and write simple statements and logic. So that was like a little precursor, anything electronics, anything computers excited me. And biology was something I would hear about, but not really pay a lot of attention to.”
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we dive into the remarkable journey of Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, as he shares how growing up in post-Soviet Russia, surrounded by scarcity and a family of biologists, shaped his resourcefulness and ambition. A chance encounter with a borrowed computer sparked his lifelong passion for programming, steering him away from biology and into the world of software innovation. Michael recounts building foundational technologies in gaming and VR, co-founding Scaleform and Oculus, and navigating the challenges of scaling startups, forging pivotal partnerships, and eventually being acquired by Autodesk. 
His story is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and the power of seizing unexpected opportunities on the path from immigrant to influential entrepreneur in biotech and beyond.
Key topics covered:

• Growing up in post-Soviet Russia: Scarcity, grit, and a family of biologists
• Discovering computers and programming: A creative escape and new direction
• Building and pivoting Scaleform: Dorm-room startup to game industry staple
• Securing major clients and networking: Landing deals through conferences and connections
• Navigating acquisition by Autodesk: Startup freedom meets corporate reality

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Civilization IV: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IVAdobe Flash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_FlashGame Developers Conference: https://gdconf.com/Crysis: https://www.crytek.com/games/crysisMaya: https://www.autodesk.com/asean/products/maya/overviewScaleform GFX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/BioWare: https://www.bioware.com/Autodesk: https://www.autodesk.com/Nintendo: https://www.nintendo.com/
Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:47 Growing Up in Post-Soviet Russia04:33 Family’s Background in Biology06:56 First Encounter with Computers and Programming09:45 High School in Maryland and Early Programming Projects11:49 Choosing Computer Science and College Experience15:32 Meeting Cofounder and Starting Scaleform20:54 Building and Pivoting the Scaleform Product23:31 Landing First Customers and Early Growth28:16 Securing Big Clients and Gaining Industry Momentum32:23 Deciding to Sell and the Autodesk Acquisition36:35 Navigating Corporate Culture Post-Acquisition40:29 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"It's not about avoiding failure. It's about avoiding every scenario where you look back and say, ‘I could have done this differently and we wouldn't be here.’"
In this episode, host Jon Chee talks with Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, about how smart R&D infrastructure decisions can make or break biotech startups. Bogdan shares his journey from scientist to founder and explains how Kaleidoscope empowers teams to harness their data, streamline collaboration, and extend their runway. 
The conversation spotlights real-world examples of how operational efficiency and the right tools create compounding advantages, why time is the true currency in biotech, and how accelerating drug development can have a profound impact for patients. Bogdan also reflects on the importance of learning by doing and paying it forward in the entrepreneurial journey.
Key topics covered:

• Building the “nerve center” for biotech R&D: Centralizing and streamlining operations.
• Why early infrastructure decisions are critical for biotech startups: Early choices shape growth.
• The compounding value of operational efficiency and smart tooling: Small gains drive big advantages.
• How saving time and capital can mean the difference between success and failure: Time and cash are everything.
• Personal lessons on mentorship, paying it forward, and learning by doing: Give back and take action.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Cash Runway 101 https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-cash-runway Tips for Managing Cash Runway After Seed or Series A Financing https://www.excedr.com/blog/managing-cash-runway-after-seed-or-series-a-financing 
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/Notion: https://www.notion.com/AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:02 Kaleidoscope’s mission and focus05:15 Real-world platform use and data management10:24 Early infrastructure decisions and tool adoption15:25 Incremental improvements and operational efficiency18:51 Time and capital as critical resources in biotech22:21 Extending runway with equipment leasing and software26:26 Kaleidoscope’s future and enterprise readiness32:21 Impact on patient outcomes and urgency38:15 Paying it forward and mentorship39:38 Advice to aspiring founders41:25 Closing remarks and outroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Until you experience a thing, you don’t know a thing. That’s something that bothers me a lot with the investor world-unless you’ve done it, you don’t really know what the grind feels like."
In this episode, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, unpacks how hands-on experience-from the grind at Frequency Therapeutics to launching the Rhodes Incubator-shaped his passion for biotech startups and team building. 
He shares the pivotal role of serendipity and authentic networking at Creative Destruction Lab and Entrepreneur First, which ultimately set the stage for founding Kaleidoscope. Bogdan dives into the challenges of innovating biotech R&D infrastructure, the importance of collaboration, and why tackling meaningful problems drives his mission in a rapidly evolving industry.
Key topics covered:

• Experiential Learning: Nothing beats firsthand experience in understanding biotech’s real challenges.
• Building Teams: Founding the Rhodes Incubator showed what truly makes teams thrive.
• Serendipity and Networking: Authentic outreach and chance meetings unlock major opportunities.
• From Academia to Entrepreneurship: The leap means tackling real-world problems that matter.
• Innovating Biotech Infrastructure: Kaleidoscope is digitizing R&D to speed up breakthroughs.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Biotech Fundraising Milestones Resource: https://blog.kaleidoscope.bio/biotech-milestones-for-effective-fundraising/Exhalation: Stories: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41160292-exhalationStories of Your Life and Other: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223380.Stories_of_Your_Life_and_Others
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/
Ahmed Elnaiem: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aelnaiem/David Yen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-y-e-n/Matt Clifford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcliffordef/?originalSubdomain=uk
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:00 Discovering a love for startups at Frequency Therapeutics06:13 Launching the Rhodes Incubator and learning what makes teams work08:01 Gaining startup know-how through student-run organizations10:51 Building strong co-founder bonds and the value of team chemistry13:38 Leading the AI stream at Creative Destruction Lab17:31 Embracing serendipity and authentic networking20:00 Helping launch Entrepreneur First’s Toronto program22:35 Committing to start Kaleidoscope with longtime friends25:41 Defining Kaleidoscope’s purpose and picking meaningful problems29:34 Tackling biotech’s digital transformation and leaving paper behind31:13 Shaping the future of biotech with next-gen product vision34:55 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If you think you're above whatever-taking out the proverbial trash or doing the proverbial dishes or the laundry, whatever-that's when a company is cooked."
In this episode, Bogdan Knezevic shares his journey from undergrad in Calgary to winning a Rhodes Scholarship and pursuing a PhD at Oxford, reflecting on the personal motivations, cultural shifts, and tough choices that shaped his path-including stepping away from elite swimming and ultimately realizing academia wasn’t for him. He opens up about the isolating yet magical environment of Oxford, the challenge of redefining his identity, and the gritty realities of working in early-stage biotech, emphasizing the importance of humility and hands-on work for startup founders. 
The conversation offers a candid look at how self-discovery, setbacks, and a willingness to “do the dishes” can shape a leader’s growth in biotech.
Key topics covered:

• The Rhodes Scholarship decision: Chasing big dreams, family inspiration, and Oxford’s legendary pull
• Life at Oxford: A magical, isolating, and truly global grad experience
• Transitioning from elite athletics: Letting go of swimming to discover a new sense of self
• Academia vs. industry: Swapping academic uncertainty for the fast pace of biotech startups
• The value of humility and grit: Rolling up your sleeves and doing the unglamorous work that makes startups thrive

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Biotech Fundraising Milestones Resource: https://blog.kaleidoscope.bio/biotech-milestones-for-effective-fundraising/Exhalation (book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41160292-exhalationStories of Your Life and Other (book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223380.Stories_of_Your_Life_and_OthersAndrew Ng’s Machine Learning Courses: https://www.coursera.org/collections/machine-learning
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Frequency Therapeutics (Korro Bio): https://www.korrobio.com/
Andrew Ng: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewyng/

Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:00 Early ambitions, family roots, and the Rhodes Scholarship spark04:12 Chasing Oxford: Inspired by books and family legacy07:01 Arriving at Oxford: Awe, isolation, and timelessness10:42 Oxford life: Constant change, global mix, and “town vs. gown”13:37 Adjusting to the UK: New ways to communicate and grow16:24 Leaving swimming: Letting go and finding a new identity19:43 Starting over at Oxford: Redefining success and self23:07 Grad school grind: Uncertainty and academic culture shock27:11 First taste of biotech: Startup life over academia29:09 Startup reality: Humility, grit, and doing the dirty work32:19 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"You have to do what you have to do to get to where you want to be, and work under the constraints you have. That means swallowing your ego and just realizing that's just the reality of it. You have to grind away if you're going to hit that success."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family’s escape from war-torn Serbia to Canada forged his relentless work ethic and sense of purpose. He recounts adapting to a new culture, the foundational support of family and mentors, and how his passion for science and math flourished in Canada’s diverse schools. 
As an elite swimmer and academic standout, Bogdan learned discipline and balance, skills that now drive his mission to make scientific research more collaborative and impactful. The conversation highlights his commitment to paying it forward by building supportive ecosystems in science and business for future generations
Key topics covered:

• The Immigrant Experience: Family’s move from Serbia to Canada fueled drive and determination
• Building Resilience & Grit: Learned perseverance from parents’ sacrifices and adapting to change
• Early Academic Influences: Sparked love for science and math in a diverse setting
• Discipline Through Athletics: Juggled elite swimming and studies, forging lasting discipline
• The Power of Mentorship & Paying It Forward: Mentors shaped his path; now he empowers others

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology by Bryan Kolb: https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/d7t3G4_0716795868_Fundamentals.pdfThe University of Calgary Neuroscience Program: https://www.ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/explore-programs/neuroscienceRhodes Scholarship: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Ken Lukowiak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-lukowiak-2b9a689/?originalSubdomain=ca
Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:38 Bogdan's Upbringing in Serbia and Family's Immigration to Canada05:40 Parents' Sacrifices and Building Resilience10:30 Adapting to Canada: Culture Shock and Language Barriers16:19 Early Schooling in Canada and Discovering Science/Math21:24 Choosing Neuroscience and University Path24:20 Balancing Elite Swimming with Academics28:23 The Demanding Discipline of Competitive Swimming34:23 Undergraduate Lab Experiences and Foundational Research Skills38:31 The Power of Mentorship: Working with Ken Lukowiak40:10 Paying It Forward in Science and Entrepreneurship43:31 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If you are that person, if you feel like you can't find your box and you're off doing these random things that no one else seems to find interesting, it's okay. Embrace it. It's who you are and it's going to be your superpower someday."

In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee sits down with Rabia Khan, founder and CEO of Serna Bio, to discuss her journey from Sensyne Health to building a data-driven biotech company pioneering RNA-targeted drug discovery. Rabia shares how she overcame scientific and operational hurdles, navigated contract research limitations, and boldly moved Serna Bio from the UK to San Francisco. She also reveals her intentional approach to company culture, frugality, and long-term impact—emphasizing her vision to create a biotech business built for enduring innovation, not just acquisition.
Key topics covered:

• Breaking Industry Molds: Serna Bio puts RNA at the center, challenging protein-focused norms.
• Data-First Biotech: Massive RNA datasets drive unique insights.
• Lean Operations & Frugality: Every dollar fuels innovation.
• Company Building for Endurance: Built for long-term value, not quick exits.
• Authentic Leadership: Bold, authentic leadership for lasting impact.
  
  

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.

Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ 
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Principles by Ray Dalio: https://www.principles.com/Amazon’s Six-Page Memo & Culture of Frugality: https://www.larksuite.com/en_us/blog/amazon-6-pagerThe Druggable Genome: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd892Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530973-antifragile
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Serna Bio: https://www.serna.bio/Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/Bridgewater Associates: https://www.bridgewater.com/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/BioMarin: https://www.biomarin.com/Regeneron: https://www.regeneron.com/
Jackie Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackiehunter/ Barry Ticho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrytichoRay Dalio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raydalio/Howard Marks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardmarksbook/Nick Scott-Ram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-scott-ram-637491b/?originalSubdomain=uk
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:01 Leaving Sensyne & Founding Serna Bio03:52 The Vision: Drugging RNA with Small Molecules09:46 Challenging the Status Quo of Protein-Centric Drug Discovery12:30 Building the Serna Toolkit: Data, Models, and Assays15:14 Operational Hurdles: Working with CROs & Building In-House Labs22:03 Leadership Philosophy: Frugality, Creativity & Building Culture28:35 Building Labs: UK vs. SF & Strategic Evolution36:56 Vision for Serna: Building an Enduring Biotech Company43:19 Advice to Founders: Embrace Discomfort & Authenticity45:53 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"You have to be curious. You have to enjoy the problems as opposed to view them as problems. You can view them as puzzle pieces that you get to put together, which is a lot of fun."

In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Rabia Khan shares the pivotal experiences that shaped her approach to biotech innovation, from her time at BenevolentAI and Sensyne Health to building and leading high-performance teams at the intersection of biology, machine learning, and clinical data. Rabia discusses the challenges of aligning scientists and engineers around a shared language, the importance of integrating platform and program development, and the cultural shifts needed to drive real innovation in drug discovery. She also reflects on the value of curiosity, risk-taking, and the lessons learned from managing major pharma partnerships and scaling teams under intense pressure.
Key topics covered:

• Bridging Biology & Machine Learning: Breaking barriers to spark drug discovery innovation.
• Platform vs. Program Development: Integrate or stagnate—unite teams to win in biotech.
• Building & Leading Teams: Scaling fast and thriving in high-stakes pharma.
• The Power of Curiosity & Risk-Taking: Question, risk, and grow—breakthroughs follow.
• Sales & Resilience in Biotech: Master selling and stay tough to succeed in science.
  
  

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ 
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:ICD-10 Codes and the Classification of Disease: https://icd.who.int/browse10/2019/enHubSpot CEO on 20VC: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/20vc-hubspot-ceo-on-where-value-accrues-in-saas-ai/id958230465?i=1000699464274The Economist’s Approach to Business Clarity and Value Creation: https://businesslibrary.uflib.ufl.edu/economicsbooks
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/Serna Bio: https://www.serna.bio/
Steven Hamblin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenrhamblin/?originalSubdomain=ukKate Yen, Ph.D.:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-yen-448b22108/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:04 The Importance of Shared Language Across Disciplines03:02 Platform vs. Program Development in Biotech06:02 The Platform-Program Dichotomy and Capital Market Perspectives07:29 Aligning Machine Learning Engineers and Biologists09:30 Changing the Culture of Biology to Embrace Engineering Practices11:07 The Role of Curiosity and Naivety in Innovation12:18 Starting a Company: Risk-Taking and Support Systems17:11 Transition from BenevolentAI to Sensyne Health22:16 Challenges of Working with Clinical Data and ICD-10 Codes25:17 Building and Scaling a Machine Learning Team at Sensyne Health31:03 Leadership, Mentorship, and Hiring for Growth33:14 The Underrated Power of Sales Skills in Biotech36:57 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
“I wish someone had told me when I was starting my PhD to sit down and say, ‘what do I want out of this?’ and [then] write it down. Because, unlike the UK, where PhDs are three years and time bound, in Canada, they are neither time bound nor three years. And so you can meander."

In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Rabia Khan, founder and CEO of Serna Bio, joins host Jon Chee to reflect on her unconventional journey through academia, business, and biotech innovation. Rabia shares how her curiosity, resilience, and embracing uncertainty shaped her journey through a PhD in genetics and an MBA. She discusses the emotional challenges of working with animal models, the benefits and limits of business school for scientists, and personal struggles, including her father’s illness.
She recounts early setbacks, like rejected consulting jobs, and how a cold email landed her at Meta (now part of Chan Zuckerberg Biohub). Rabia emphasizes “manufacturing serendipity,” differences between founder and employee mindsets, and lessons from her work at BenevolentAI, highlighting the importance of cross-disciplinary communication and challenging industry norms.
Key topics covered:

• PhD Realities: Tackling emotional and practical research challenges
• Dual-Degree Insights: Balancing PhD and MBA, knowing business limits
• Personal Adversity: Turning family illness into resilience
• Career Breakthroughs: Creating and seizing biotech startup chances
• Bridging Disciplines: Fusing biology and ML to expand drug targets
  
  

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Rabia Khan, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabiatkhan/ Website: https://www.serna.bio/ 
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Case in Point (book): https://caseinterview.com/case-in-pointSWOT Analysis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysisCRISPR Technology: https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/CRISPRiPSC (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_pluripotent_stem_cellGWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies): https://www.nature.com/articles/s43586-021-00056-9Ensembl: https://www.ensembl.org/index.html The concept of the “druggable genome”: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioinformatics/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2022.958378/full
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Francis Crick Institute: https://www.crick.ac.uk/BenevolentAI: https://www.benevolent.com/Meta (Acquired by Chan Zuckerberg Biohub): https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/23/chan-zuckerberg-initiative-meta/ GSK (GlaxoSmithKline): https://www.gsk.com/Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/Sensyne Health: https://www.sensyne.com/
Sam Molyneux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammolyneuxAmy Molyneux: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amymolyneux/ Jackie Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjackiehunter/ 
Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:49 Rabia’s PhD Experience and Challenges06:07 Comparing PhD Systems in Canada vs. UK08:21 MBA Insights and Frameworks14:28 Personal Adversity and Career Impact17:05 Coping with Family Illness and Career Decisions21:26 First Job at Meta and Serendipity30:00 Postdoc at Francis Crick Institute35:10 Joining BenevolentAI and Early Experiences39:24 Challenges in Drug Discovery and Druggable Genome43:41 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.